Day 26: John 10-12. Good Shepherd, Resurrection and the Life
After Jesus heals the man born blind, he has an extended teaching where he calls himself both the Gate and the Good Shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd who leads people out to good pasture and leads people in to the safe refuge. This has probably become one of the most well-known images of Jesus from the scriptures, even though most of us urban people no longer have a clear idea about what shepherds do, or how they care for their sheep. Still, the metaphor sticks. In fact, clergy have often been regarded as "shepherds" too, of a sort: the word "Pastor" means shepherd. (In my first call in rural South Dakota, the people regularly said they thought of their pastor as their shepherd.)
Jesus as shepherd calls his own by name -- but not just to gather them in. He also leads them out. But out where? For what reason? Where are Jesus and his sheep going?
There are many places in John's gospel where he calls people by name. In John 11, he calls "Lazarus, come out!" Later on (John 20), he will say, simply, "Mary."
Most of chapter 11 is taken up with the story (or, to be more accurate, the sign) of the raising of Lazarus. There are many wonderful details and also deep theology here. You might notice it is Thomas who bravely says to Jesus, "Let us go, that we may die with him." (Jesus is in danger if he goes to Jerusalem.) Martha confesses her faith in Jesus, "I believe you are the Messiah," but then later on, when Jesus is at the tomb, she objects, "Lord, there will be a stench!" Then we have the simple poignant words, "Jesus wept." Jesus is often portrayed in John's gospel as so God-like, he seems to know everything and be unmoved by the prospect of his own suffering. And yet, here in John chapter 11, He simply weeps, not for himself, but for his friend.
As chapter 11 closes, Jesus is under fire, not because he overturn tables in the temple, but because he raised Lazarus from the dead. Caiaphas prophecies (without knowing it) that Jesus' death is necessary. But what does this mean?
In chapter 12, Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus' feet. When she does this, she is at home with her sister and brother, Martha and Lazarus. Imagine -- just a chapter ago, Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead, and now, they are having dinner together. Judas is the only disciple to complain about the waste (and he is named as a thief, so his motives are questioned right away).
It's after this scene that Jesus enters Jerusalem to the cheering crowds. (Bethany, where Mary, Martha and Lazarus live, is just outside Jerusalem, by the way). Some of the cheering crowds are there because they heard about Lazarus' raising, actually. Jesus takes the opportunity to teach about his death (unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies...) Also, it's interesting that some Greeks want to be introduced to Jesus. There are only a couple of references in John to followers of Jesus who are not Jewish. This is one of them. (The Samaritan woman in Chapter 4 is the other one).
Though there is a lot of language in John about "The Jews", it is important to notice that all of the followers of Jesus are Jewish. Some translators prefer to use words like "the religious leaders" or "the Judeans" rather than "The Jews," feeling that these words more accurately describe the people John is trying to describe.
Jesus as shepherd calls his own by name -- but not just to gather them in. He also leads them out. But out where? For what reason? Where are Jesus and his sheep going?
There are many places in John's gospel where he calls people by name. In John 11, he calls "Lazarus, come out!" Later on (John 20), he will say, simply, "Mary."
Most of chapter 11 is taken up with the story (or, to be more accurate, the sign) of the raising of Lazarus. There are many wonderful details and also deep theology here. You might notice it is Thomas who bravely says to Jesus, "Let us go, that we may die with him." (Jesus is in danger if he goes to Jerusalem.) Martha confesses her faith in Jesus, "I believe you are the Messiah," but then later on, when Jesus is at the tomb, she objects, "Lord, there will be a stench!" Then we have the simple poignant words, "Jesus wept." Jesus is often portrayed in John's gospel as so God-like, he seems to know everything and be unmoved by the prospect of his own suffering. And yet, here in John chapter 11, He simply weeps, not for himself, but for his friend.
As chapter 11 closes, Jesus is under fire, not because he overturn tables in the temple, but because he raised Lazarus from the dead. Caiaphas prophecies (without knowing it) that Jesus' death is necessary. But what does this mean?
In chapter 12, Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus' feet. When she does this, she is at home with her sister and brother, Martha and Lazarus. Imagine -- just a chapter ago, Jesus has raised Lazarus from the dead, and now, they are having dinner together. Judas is the only disciple to complain about the waste (and he is named as a thief, so his motives are questioned right away).
It's after this scene that Jesus enters Jerusalem to the cheering crowds. (Bethany, where Mary, Martha and Lazarus live, is just outside Jerusalem, by the way). Some of the cheering crowds are there because they heard about Lazarus' raising, actually. Jesus takes the opportunity to teach about his death (unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies...) Also, it's interesting that some Greeks want to be introduced to Jesus. There are only a couple of references in John to followers of Jesus who are not Jewish. This is one of them. (The Samaritan woman in Chapter 4 is the other one).
Though there is a lot of language in John about "The Jews", it is important to notice that all of the followers of Jesus are Jewish. Some translators prefer to use words like "the religious leaders" or "the Judeans" rather than "The Jews," feeling that these words more accurately describe the people John is trying to describe.
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